Crocosmia plant named ‘Hot Spot’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Crocosmia  plant named ‘Hot Spot’, characterized by its upright plant habit; strong, and sturdy and resistance to lodging; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; numerous and relatively large and upward-facing yellow orange and red-colored flowers; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Crocosmia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HOT SPOT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crocosmia plant, also referred to as Montbretia, botanically known as Crocosmia X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Hot Spot’.

The new Crocosmia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright and strong Crocosmia plants with large attractive upward-facing flowers, a long flowering period and winter hardiness.

The new Crocosmia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Jul. 10, 2007 of two unnamed seedling selections of Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented. The new Crocosmia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Aug. 14, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Crocosmia plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom since the spring of 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Crocosmia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Crocosmia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Hot Spot’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Hot Spot’ as a new and distinct Crocosmia plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit; strong, sturdy and resistance to         lodging.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous and relatively large and upward-facing yellow orange         and red-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Crocosmia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Crocosmia are more freely flowering than         plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Crocosmia have larger flowers than plants         of the parent selections.     -   3. Plants of the new Crocosmia are more winter hardy than plants         of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Crocosmia can be compared to plants of Crocosmia X hybrida ‘Paul's Best Yellow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Crocosmia differ primarily from plants of ‘Paul's Best Yellow’ in flower color as plants of the new Crocosmia have yellow orange and red-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Paul's Best Yellow’ have yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Crocosmia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Crocosmia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Hot Spot’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Hot Spot’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Crocosmia grown during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Hillegom, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Crocosmia X hybrida ‘Hot Spot’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures about             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About seven weeks at             temperatures ranging from 15° to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy and fibrous;             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density.         -   Corms.—To date, corm development has not been observed on             plants of the new Crocosmia. -   Overall plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; overall plant             shape, narrowly oblong with slightly arching flowering             stems; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; strong             stems that develop at the plant base and resist lodging;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 63.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 100             cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 47.5 cm. -   Stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Length.—About 43.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm to 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 15.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.         -   Color, when developing.—Close to 143B.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 147D. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Appearance.—Simple, distichous; sessile.         -   Quantity per stem.—About six.         -   Length.—About 54.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform, moderately plicate.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acuminate.         -   Base.—Sheathing; sheath is about 11.2 cm in length, 9 mm in             width and close to 144B to 144C in color.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Camptodrome.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 137A and 137B; venation, close to 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single tubular flowers arranged on             terminal rhipidiums; flowers sessile; flowers face mostly             outwardly and upward-facing; perianth segments fused; freely             flowering habit with about 73 flowers developing per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous in July and             August in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering about six             months after planting.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate, slightly curved downward. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte.             Color: Close to 23A; towards the mid-section, close to 23B;             towards the base, close to 153D; immature sepals, upper and             lower surfaces, close to 146D.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 48.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 47.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm by 3.9 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 5.5 mm to 7 mm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with three segments fused towards the base; inner             whorl of perianth segments has a larger dorsal segment and             two smaller lateral segments that are similar to outer whorl             segments. Inner perianth dorsal segment: Outer perianth             segments: Length: About 4.6 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape:             Narrowly obovate; proximally, 50% of the length of the             segment is fused into a tube. Apex: Narrowly obtuse to             broadly and bluntly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous,             moderately velvety; matte. Color, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 21A; towards the throat, close to 21B             flushed with close to 42C to 42D. Color, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 21A; proximally, close to 16A. Color,             fully opening, upper surface: Close to 23A; towards the             throat, close to 21B; venation, similar to lamina colors;             color does not change with development. Color, fully             opening, lower surface: Close to 21A; proximally, close to             17B; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does not             change with development. Inner perianth lateral segments and             outer perianth segments: Length: About 4.4 cm. Width, inner             lateral segments: About 1 cm. Width, outer segments: About             7 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate; proximally, 50% of the length             of the segment is fused into a tube. Apex: Narrowly obtuse             to broadly and bluntly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous,             moderately velvety; matte. Color, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 21A; towards the throat, close to 21B             flushed with close to 42C to 42D. Color, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 21A; proximally, close to 16A. Color,             fully opening, upper surface: Close to 17B; towards the             apex, close to 21B; towards the throat, flushed with close             to 42B; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does not             change with development. Color, fully opening, lower             surface: Close to 21A; proximally, close to 17B; venation,             similar to lamina colors; color does not change with             development. Flower throat and tube: Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Color, throat:             Close to 42B; venation, close to 42B. Color, tube: Close to             16B; venation, close to 17A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Three in a single whorl. Length: About             7 mm. Width: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Broadly oblong. Apex:             Praemorse. Base: Broadly cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, when opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143C. Color, fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to N144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 47.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle, primary peduncles: Proximally,             erect; distally, arching to about 50° from vertical. Angle,             lateral peduncles: About 40° from primary peduncle axis.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             three. Filament length: About 2.2 cm. Filament color: Close             to 12A to 12B. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size:             About 6.5 mm by 1.25 mm. Anther color: Close to 10A. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.5 cm. Style             length: About 4 cm. Style color: Close to 14B. Stigma shape:             Three-parted, curved. Stigma size: About 5 mm by 7 mm.             Stigma color: Close to 17C. Ovary color: Close to 143B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development have             not been observed on plants of the new Crocosmia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Crocosmia     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Crocosmia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Crocosmia have been observed     to have good garden performance, to resist lodging and to tolerate     wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about −17° C. to about 35°     C.; plants of the new Crocosmia are suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 6 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Crocosmia plant named ‘Hot Spot’ as illustrated and described. 